Liszt

Franz Liszt occupied a special place

among the great pianists of the nineteenth

century. The boundless virtuosity which he

brought to his instrument made him not

only a rock star in his time, it also enabled

him as a composer to realize his musical

vision without having to make any

allowances for technical limitations. Thus

he became not only the creator of a new

style, but also a pathbreaker for new

directions in music whose influence would

last well into the 20th century.

Many factors contributed to his multifaceted

personality, therefore it is not

surprising that seemingly incompatible

elements like despair and transfiguration,

demonism and religious ecstasy often

stand next to each other and create the

kind of tension which is the hallmark of a

great composer. The present program

features a selection of the most virtuosic

and radiant works of Franz Liszt.